Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) Trading 0.7% Higher – Should You Buy?

Shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) shot up 0.7% on Monday . The stock traded as high as $143.85 and last traded at $143.07. 1,793,724 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 75% from the average session volume of 7,099,075 shares. The stock had previously closed at $142.06.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

JNJ has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $215.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $163.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $178.00 to $181.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $166.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $185.00 to $175.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $174.71.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Up 1.7 %

The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $149.67 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $156.11. The company has a market capitalization of $347.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.90, a PEG ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The company reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.21. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 19.14% and a return on equity of 35.45%. The company had revenue of $22.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.66 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 9.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 4th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be given a dividend of $1.24 per share. This represents a $4.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.43%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 18th. Johnson & Johnson’s dividend payout ratio is presently 71.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Mark A. Weinberger acquired 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $147.22 per share, with a total value of $147,220.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 1,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $147,220. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Johnson & Johnson

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Highline Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Johnson & Johnson in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 58.7% in the third quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC now owns 246 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Activest Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the third quarter worth $40,000. Finally, Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 400.0% in the third quarter. Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC now owns 250 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. 69.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Johnson & Johnson Company Profile

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.